Elkton, Md. – Maryland State Police announced the arrest of Justin Burchett, 42, a resident of Elkton who faced outstanding warrants in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Delaware. The man was stopped after a dramatic police chase that began on Route 213 in Cecil County and continued across the state line into Pennsylvania.
Initial stop and pursuit
At about 2 p.m. on Wednesday, a trooper spotted a 2016 Ford Focus that had been reported stolen from Elkton. When the trooper attempted a traffic stop, the driver failed to comply, prompting a high‑speed pursuit. Witnesses said the vehicle raced at excessive speed, ran red lights and even passed a school bus on the shoulder, raising concerns of impaired driving.
Inter‑state coordination
Maryland State Police alerted Pennsylvania State Police, which dispatched multiple troopers to the state line. The Maryland troopers were authorized to continue the chase into Pennsylvania, following the suspect along Blue Ball Road. During the pursuit, a Maryland trooper’s patrol car collided with an uninvolved minivan on Route 10 in Oxford, Pennsylvania. The minivan’s driver was unharmed; the trooper was flown to a local hospital, treated and released.
Final capture attempts
At roughly 4:20 p.m., Maryland troopers located the stolen Focus in the 1400 block of Pulaski Highway in Havre de Grace. As officers approached, Burchett accelerated, striking a police vehicle before fleeing the scene. Later, at about 5:45 p.m., investigators found the car parked at a gas station on Main Street in Darlington. Troopers activated emergency equipment and ordered the driver to stop, but he again ignored the commands.
Burchett attempted to leave the parking lot, colliding with the front of a Maryland police cruiser. The trooper inside the cruiser was not injured. The impact disabled the stolen vehicle and caused the airbags to deploy. Burchett and a female passenger were extracted from the car; first responders provided medical aid.
Arrest and evidence
Burchett was taken to a local hospital for evaluation and remained under police guard until he was released on bail. The female passenger was released without charges. A search of the vehicle uncovered a glass smoking device and a small bag containing a suspected controlled substance, giving investigators probable cause for a drug charge.
Authorities confirmed that Burchett faces additional charges in Maryland, including reckless driving and assault‑related offenses stemming from his Pennsylvania warrant. The multi‑state pursuit highlights the cooperation between Maryland and Pennsylvania law‑enforcement agencies in apprehending individuals with outstanding warrants across state lines.
Community impact
Local officials praised the swift coordination that prevented further danger to motorists and pedestrians, especially after the suspect’s reckless behavior near a school bus. The incident serves as a reminder of the importance of inter‑jurisdictional collaboration in keeping Maryland’s roads safe.
Original reporting: Arlington County | FOX 5 DC — read the source article.
